Modular stackable shelves

Abstract

A modular shelving unit includes a plurality of shelves supported by supports. Non-linear attachment pins are attached to the top of a lower shelf and received in upper supports which support an upper shelf. The attachment pins are bent so that they are wider than holes in the upper supports; bending the attachment pins elastically and maintaining them elastically bent when the shelving unit is in an assembled state.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An article of modular furniture comprising:
 a lower shelf; 
 a plurality of lower support posts attached to a bottom of the lower shelf to support the lower shelf; 
 an upper shelf; 
 a plurality of upper support posts attached to the bottom of the upper shelf to support the upper shelf; 
 wherein the plurality of upper support posts are disposed on top of the lower shelf to support the upper shelf above the lower shelf; and 
 a joint between the lower shelf and the upper shelf comprising:
 a threaded opening in the lower shelf; 
 an attachment pin comprising a threaded lower section, an upper section, and wherein the upper section of the attachment pin is bent such that an overall width of the attachment pin is greater than a cross-sectional width of the material used to make the attachment pin; 
 wherein the threaded lower section of the attachment pin engages the threaded opening in the lower shelf such that the attachment pin extends upwardly from the lower shelf; 
 wherein one of said upper support posts comprises a hole formed in a lower end which extends upwardly into the upper support post; 
 wherein the upper support post is disposed on the lower shelf such that the attachment pin is located in the upper support post hole; and 
 wherein the overall width of the attachment pin is greater than a width of the upper support post hole such that the attachment pin is bent elastically while in an assembled configuration. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The article of modular furniture of  claim 1 , wherein the lower shelf threaded opening extends through the lower shelf, wherein one of said lower support posts comprises a threaded anchor having an upper threaded section extending upwardly from the lower support post, and wherein the upper threaded section engages the lower shelf threaded opening to attach the lower support post to the bottom of the lower shelf. 
     
     
       3. The article of module furniture of  claim 2 , wherein the threaded anchor comprises a lower threaded section which is attached to the lower support post and an upper threaded section which extends from the lower support post. 
     
     
       4. The article of modular furniture of  claim 1 , wherein the lower shelf threaded opening is formed by a threaded insert comprising an outer thread which attaches the threaded insert to the lower shelf and an inner thread which forms the lower shelf threaded opening. 
     
     
       5. The article of furniture of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment pin comprises an elongate rod having a length which is at least about 5 times a diameter of the attachment pin, and wherein the upper section of the attachment pin comprises a majority of the length of the elongate rod. 
     
     
       6. The article of furniture of  claim 5 , wherein the attachment pin has a length which is about 15 times the diameter of the attachment pin. 
     
     
       7. The article of furniture of  claim 1 , wherein the upper section of the attachment pin comprises two bends such that the upper section of the attachment pin is non-linear and has an overall width greater than a width of the material used to form the attachment pin. 
     
     
       8. An article of furniture comprising:
 a generally horizontal lower shelf; 
 a generally horizontal upper shelf disposed above the lower shelf; 
 an upper support post which is attached to the upper shelf to support the upper shelf above the lower shelf; 
 an attachment pin comprising a lower section which is attached to the lower shelf and an upper section which extends above the lower shelf;
 wherein the upper section of the attachment pin is bent such that the upper section of the attachment pin is non-linear and such that an overall width of the upper section of the attachment pin is greater than a cross-sectional width of the material used to make the attachment pin; 
 wherein the upper support post comprises a hole formed in a lower end which extends upwardly into the upper support post; 
 wherein the upper support post is disposed on the lower shelf such that the upper section of the attachment pin is located in the upper support post hole; and 
 wherein the overall width of the attachment pin is greater than a width of the upper support post hole such that the attachment pin is bent elastically while in an assembled configuration. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The article of furniture of  claim 8 , further comprising a threaded opening in the lower shelf, and wherein the lower section of the attachment pin is threaded and engages the threaded opening in the lower shelf to attach the attachment pin to the lower shelf whereby the upper section of the attachment pin extends upwardly from the lower shelf. 
     
     
       10. The article of modular furniture of  claim 9 , wherein the lower shelf threaded opening extends through the lower shelf, and further comprising a lower support post comprising a threaded anchor having an upper threaded section extending upwardly from the lower support post, and wherein the upper threaded section engages the lower shelf threaded opening to attach the lower support post to the bottom of the lower shelf. 
     
     
       11. The article of module furniture of  claim 10 , wherein the threaded anchor comprises a lower threaded section which is attached to the lower support post and an upper threaded section which extends from the lower support post. 
     
     
       12. The article of modular furniture of  claim 9 , wherein the lower shelf threaded opening is formed by a threaded insert comprising an outer thread which attaches the threaded insert to the lower shelf and an inner thread which forms the lower shelf threaded opening. 
     
     
       13. The article of furniture of  claim 8 , wherein the upper section of the attachment pin comprises two bends such that the upper section of the attachment pin is non-linear and has an overall width greater than a width of the material used to form the attachment pin. 
     
     
       14. An article of furniture comprising:
 a first generally horizontal shelf; 
 a second generally horizontal shelf which is vertically offset from the first shelf; 
 a first support having a first end which is attached to the first shelf and a second end having a hole formed therein extending into the support; 
 an attachment pin comprising a proximal section which is attached to the second shelf and a distal section which extends from the second shelf;
 wherein the distal section of the attachment pin is bent such that the distal section of the attachment pin is non-linear and such that an overall width of the distal section of the attachment pin is greater than a cross-sectional width of the material used to make the attachment pin; 
 wherein the first support is attached to the second shelf such that the distal section of the attachment pin is located in the hole in the first support; and 
 wherein the overall width of the attachment pin is greater than a width of the hole in the first support such that the attachment pin is bent elastically while disposed in the hole in the first support. 
 
 
     
     
       15. The article of furniture of  claim 14 , further comprising a threaded opening in the second shelf, and wherein the proximal section of the attachment pin is threaded and engages the threaded opening in the second shelf to attach the attachment pin to the second shelf whereby the distal section of the attachment pin extends from the second shelf. 
     
     
       16. The article of modular furniture of  claim 15 , wherein the second shelf threaded opening extends through the second shelf, and further comprising a second support comprising a threaded anchor having an threaded section extending from an end of the second support, and wherein the threaded section engages the second shelf threaded opening to attach the second support to the second shelf on a side opposite the first support. 
     
     
       17. The article of module furniture of  claim 16 , wherein the threaded anchor comprises a proximal threaded section which is attached to the second support and a distal threaded section which extends from the second support. 
     
     
       18. The article of modular furniture of  claim 15 , wherein the threaded opening in the second shelf is formed by a threaded insert comprising an outer thread which attaches the threaded insert to the second shelf and an inner thread which forms the threaded opening. 
     
     
       19. The article of furniture of  claim 14 , wherein the distal section of the attachment pin comprises two bends such that the distal section of the attachment pin is non-linear and has an overall width greater than a width of the material used to form the attachment pin. 
     
     
       20. An article of furniture comprising:
 a first panel; 
 a threaded opening in the first panel; 
 a first support which is attached to the first panel, the first support comprising a hole formed therein extending into the first support; 
 an attachment pin comprising a threaded proximal section which is disposed in and engages the threaded opening in the first panel to attach the attachment pin to the first panel and a distal section which extends from the first panel;
 wherein the distal section of the attachment pin comprises a non-linear shape such that an overall width of the distal section of the attachment pin is greater than a cross-sectional width of the material forming the attachment pin; 
 wherein the first support is attached to the first panel with the attachment pin such that the distal section of the attachment pin is located in the hole in the first support; and 
 wherein the overall width of the attachment pin is greater than a width of the hole in the first support such that the attachment pin is bent elastically while disposed in the hole in the first support. 
 
 
     
     
       21. The article of furniture of  claim 20 , wherein the distal section of the attachment pin is bent such that the distal section of the attachment pin is non-linear and has an overall width greater than a width of the material used to form the attachment pin. 
     
     
       22. The article of furniture of  claim 21 , wherein the distal section of the attachment pin has a circular cross section with a diameter which is less than a diameter of the first support hole. 
     
     
       23. The article of furniture of  claim 20 , wherein the first panel is disposed horizontally and wherein the first support comprises a vertical support. 
     
     
       24. The article of modular furniture of  claim 20 , wherein the first support is attached to a first side of the first panel, wherein the threaded opening extends through the first panel, and further comprising a second support comprising a threaded anchor having an threaded section extending from an end of the second support, and wherein the threaded section engages the first panel threaded opening to attach the second support to the first panel on a second side of the first panel.